Lup-in, Lup-out
by Fezzes at 221b
Summary: "It's a new year, Padfoot. You're older now. When are you going to stop that joke?" Sirius tipped his head back, cackling with laughter. "The day I die, Mooney." The rebellious boy said, pointing finger guns at his best friend. Wolfstar, just because.
1. Chapter 1

**This is another 3+1 thing because I am** ** _trash_** **for these things.**

 **This won't be updated for another couple of days, cuz I'm going to be in France. Surprise, maybe I should warn you guys before these kinda things. Eh.**

 **Have a great day/night.**

 **Fez**

Bending slightly as he crawled through the portrait hole, Remus Lupin clutched his books to his chest.

He had grown in the last couple of months, towering over Sirius by about an inch.

He wasn't letting the other boy forget it, stretching as much as he could in his presence.

The Griffindor common room was abuzz with students chattering and studying.

"...Legal in some states..."

"He totally likes you..."

"Shut _up_! Batman would win against Superman..."

"I _am_ Batman."

Sirius was spread across an armchair, the Marauders having dibs'ed the best spot by the fire. He craned his neck over the back and smiled at Lupin as he walked up to them.

"Lup-in." he joked, and Lupin glared at him, jokingly. Lupin batted at James' feet, the other boy reclined over the entire five-person sofa. Grumbling good-naturedly, he moved his feet and Lupin leaned against his knees, facing Sirius. Peter was sitting in front of the sofa, arms lying on the narrow space of cushion before James began.

Remus' head lolled back on the hard bone of James' skinny knees. "What've you done with my Muggle studies book?" he asked, sighing. Through his limited, upside down vision, he saw James go red.

"I borrowed it for facts to impress Lil- teachers with. It's somewhere in the dorm."

Sirius sniggered, from his chair. "Nice save, Prongs. We totally have no idea who you're talking about."

Peter looked up at James, glasses perched on his nose. "Since when have you been bothered about impressing teachers?"

"Since always." James defended himself, narrowing his eyes at the others.

"I distinctly remember you saying two years ago-" Lupin held up a slender finger as James tried to interrupt. "That you would rather sit though three hours of detention with Slughorn, than impress teachers."

Peter scrunched his nose up. "Slughorn isn't that bad."

James jolted his legs, making Lupin jump. "Shuddup Mooney."

Lupin rolled his eyes, smiling as he got off the sofa and headed towards the stairs to their dorm.

"Hey, where are you going? My legs are cold now!" James complained. Lupin didn't reply, he had to find the book for his homework.

Just as Lupin was about to start going up the steps, he heard a yell from behind him.

"Lup-out!"


	2. Chapter 2

"Lup-in!" Roared Sirius the second Lupin's foot cleared the threshold of the Marauders designated carriage.

Lupin sighed as James and Peter laughed. "It's a new year, Padfoot. You're older now. When are you going to stop that joke?"

Sirius tipped his head back, cackling with laughter.

"The day I die, Mooney." The rebellious boy said, pointing finger guns at his best friend, leaning back in the corner seat, a Chocolate Frog unopened on the spare seat beside him.

"The day I die."


	3. Chapter 3

"Lup-out" Lupin thought to himself.

It was the corridor just outside of the Ravenclaw common room, Tonks was somewhere behind him, their hands had brushed just seconds ago. Or was it minutes?

Lupin felt his legs give out, and he crashed to his knees, hearing them crack against the marble. One of them hit a piece of rubble, shaken free from the walls by a mis-guided Avada Kedrava curse.

Lucius was never the best at aiming.

He tilted wildly and fell to the cold floor.

He heard Tonks shriek, but it was faraway. He blinked once slowly. The grinning face of Lucius Malfoy swam across his eyes, morphing into Peter's and he groaned. He should have thought it was Peter and said something. Why would it have been Sirius, who called James 'babe' and would sit with him through the nightmares, and got excited when Lily was expecting and-

But then, Peter was almost the last suspect. He had faked his death, so that put him out of the equation, but even if he had lived, it would have been ridiculous to accuse the small boy, who laughed at all their jokes even the awful ones, and who would help Lupin with revision when Sirius refused to and he had helped James plan their pranks.

Peter's childish grinning face ebbed away. James appeared next. He couldn't hear anything, Tonks had grown silent and there was no longer the sounds of crashing rocks as the walls fell in.

'I'm sorry' he thought and he blinked again, except his eyes wouldn't open. Something sticky ram down his face, where it had crunched against the floor.

He hadn't even seen the curse coming at him and it was taking longer than Avada Kevdrava. It must be a new one, or a long forgotten spell. He could almost hear Sirius laughing at him, even as he died,

But he didn't feel pain and he was grateful for that.

He wondered if James had been in pain. He had seen it coming of course, the Dark Lord knocking on your door would hardly be quiet and considerate of your neighbours.

Finally, Sirius' face flashed in front of his eyes and Lupin almost started crying, his friend had died too young, far to much of it being spent in a prison, for a crime he didn't commit.

A sob tore out of his throat, He was dying, with a new-born son at home, leaving him to grow up without a father.

He had imagined his life as growing old, with Sirius and Peter and swinging around to James and Lily's house to see them and little Harry. He had imagined maybe getting married, despite his... Problem and just living and being happy.

But his happiness had ended over ten years ago and now he was finally content, another chance at being happy, this happened.

But Tonks would be a good mother and Harry and Molly and all the Weasley's would help her. He had found a family, not the same as in his school-years but he had one.

And his last thought drifting away from him, he felt a sense of satisfaction. After all, it had been one last joke for Sirius.


	4. Chapter 4

"Lup-in." Was the first thing Lupin heard, on arriving in Heaven.

He had ended up in their old dormitory in Hogwarts's, the first thing he saw was Sirius lounging back on his bed, books discarded on the floor. Sirius was young again, hope and rebellion shining in his eyes.

James poked his head out from the hangings of his bed, and grinned up at Lupin.

"Hey, Mooney."

Lupin tried not to burst into tears.

"What do I have to do to make you stop this _stupid_ joke?" he choked out, a stunned smile creeping across his face.

Sirius smiled even wider and rolled off his bed, moving fluidly to his feet like a cat.

"Isn't it obvious?" the boy chuckled, striding towards Lupin.

"Even I figured it out, years ago." James said thoughtfully from where he was watching them from his bunk.

"It's taken you your entire life to even ask? C'mon, smart guy like you?"

He was standing next to Lupin, grinning at him, humour shining in his blue eyes and Lupin felt a pang for all the years they spent apart, all the years Sirius spent in Azkaban and Lupin spent resenting him. All the years they could've been hanging out with each other, with James and Lily and baby Harry. All the years that could've been.

And when Sirius spoke again, his words were hushed and he sounded almost on the verge of tears. "Just never leave."

 **And that is the end of Lup-in, Lup-out. Hope you all enjoyed and look, it even ended happy.**

 **Have a great day, my little alpacas!**

 **Fez.**


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